WATCH: Honours even for Limerick communities in Going for Gold final as decision too close to call

TWO communities have shared in overall success at Limerick Going For Gold after the final decision was too close to call for judges.

Athea and Kilteely both struck gold in the grand final on Tuesday night as the communities were jointly named as overall winners of the Limerick Going For Gold competition for 2018.

Your winner and this year's #GoingForGold Challenge Category winners of 2018 walking home with the trophy and massive cash prize of €10,000!! is...Kilteely and Athea! JOINT WINNERS!! and Congratulations to both! @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/9aXrvwooeT

— Anthony Geoghegan (@Ant_Geoghegan) October 9, 2018

A total of 13 communities made the final of the Limerick Going for Gold Challenge Category, before the winners were announced at the grand finale, attended by hundreds of people from communities across Limerick city and county in the Limerick Strand Hotel.

Limerick Going For Gold is a community based competition aimed at making Limerick a cleaner, brighter place to work, live and visit, with communities set to benefit to tune of €80,000 after the final of the event, backed by the JP McManus Charitable Foundation and organised by Limerick City and County Council, with support from The Limerick Leader and others.

Five of the finalists in the Challenge Category were selected by popular vote on the Limerick Today show on Limerick’s Live95fm with the remaining seven chosen by the judges.

Prizes were also awarded in 10 other Going for Gold categories.

Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr James Collins congratulated the participating communities for helping to ensure that Limerick Going for Gold 2018 continued to be a tremendous success.

Speaking to the hundreds of attendees Mayor Collins said: “What a pleasure it is to be with you all here this evening for what has become one of the best celebrations of community spirit in Limerick – the grand finale of Limerick Going for Gold 2018.  It never ceases to amaze me how communities can come together and transform their areas. Everyone working together, sharing a common purpose.”

“As Mayor, I am privileged to meet with community representatives on a daily basis and I understand and appreciate the hard work you are doing to enhance your areas. Nurturing community spirit and fostering civic pride are an important part of Limerick Going for Gold.”

Gerry Boland from the JP McManus Charitable Foundation said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the whole campaign again this year.  The JP McManus Charitable Foundation is committed to continuing to assist Limerick communities to reduce the impact of litter across Limerick city and county. I would to thank you all again for your continuing participation in the Limerick Going For Gold Campaign and for the enormous contributions which you make to the well-being of the communities in which we all live.”

The judges this year were Richard Barry, Chairman of Tallanstown Tidy Towns in County Louth, who are former winners of the National Tidy Towns competition and Jimmy Feane, retired Director of Limerick City and County Council.

Both judges spent days travelling the length and breadth of Limerick to visit every community involved in Limerick Going For Gold.

Richard Barry said: “Limerick Going For Gold has a really broad appeal, it pitches the level at everyone from the challenge category to Limerick in Bloom and the Best Front Garden. It gives everyone a chance to participate. Limerick Going For Gold gives areas a chance of winning that they may not necessarily be able to compete in the National Tidy Towns.”

“This is the second year in a row that I’ve judged the Limerick Going For Gold competition and I must say I’ve been really impressed with the work carried out in the communities and especially the improvements that I’ve seen in the past 12 months.”

Gordon Daly, Director of Social Development with Limerick City and County Council said: “Limerick Going For Gold is a brilliant example of partnership between the local authority and communities the length and breadth of Limerick. This partnership which has been strengthened and deepened over the past eight years since the competition began showcases what can be achieved when we all work together.”

“Limerick City and County Council is committed to working with communities so that Limerick can be the best it can be. I want to thank the communities of Limerick for their hard work and commitment as without it we wouldn’t be able to have an event such as this.”

The winners in full are:

Challenge

Joint Winners Athea, Kilteely (€10,000 each)

3rd Newcastle West (€7,000)

4th Kilfinane (€5,000)

5th Abbeyfeale (€3,000)

6th Patrickswell (€2,000)

7th – 13th Anglesboro, Caherconlish, Hospital, Knockainey, Moyross, Oola, Rathkeale (€1,000)

Limerick in Bloom

Winner Kilmeedy (€5,000 plus perpetual trophy)

2nd Ardpatrick (€3,000)

3rd Croagh (€2,000)

Highly Commended Askeaton, Croom, Foynes, South Limerick City, Pallasgreen (€1,000 each)

Residential Areas

Winner Monaleen Park (€1,500)

Joint 2nd Cappamore Estates, Gouldavoher (€1,000 each)

Joint 4th St Patrick’s Villas, The Grange (€700 each)

Highly Commended Carraballawn, Glenbrook, Glendale and Glendale Lawn, Meadowbrook, Rhebogue Meadows, Silverbrook, The Meadows in Corbally, Woodlawn Park (€500 each)

Champions

Winner Castleconnell (€2,720)

2nd Castletroy View (€1,960)

3rd Janesboro (€1,940)

4th Glin (€1,900)

5th Caherdavin (€1,860)

6th Adare (€1,820)

7th Annacotty (€1,800)

Tidy Towns Incentive

Community – Adare (€500)

Green Spaces – Glin (€500)

Sustainability – Kilmallock (€500)

Tidiness – Oola (€500)

Nature and Diversity – Galbally and Mountcollins (€1,000 each)

Most improved in each Council district (€1,000)

Metro: Ballyneety, Annacotty

Adare-Rathkeale: Kildimo, Ballysteen

NCW: Abbeyfeale

Cappamore-Kilmallock: Oola

Most Improved Overall - Garrienderk (€1,500)

Reuse Award

St Mary’s Aid Bike Reuse Scheme

Our Lady of Lourdes Community Centre Food Waste Prevention Course

St Michael’s Rowing Club Urban Run #RunReuseRefill cups (€500 each)

Endeavour Award

Limerick Civic Trust (€500)

Biodiversity

Broadford Development Association (€1,000)

Judges’ Awards

The Bridge in Kilmallock

The Square in Abbeyfeale

Bridge Street Garden, Limerick Civic Trust

Croom Town Park (each receive a trophy)

#loveyourlimerick photo competition

Damien Ahern, Athea (€500 for himself and €500 for his local group)

Most Beautiful Front Garden (sponsored by the Parkway Shopping Centre)

Winner John and Ita Carroll, Castlemahon

2nd Robert Byrne, Kennedy Park

3rd Nellie Barrett, Newcastle West (each receives vouchers for the Parkway Shopping Centre and a trophy